Okras, lady's finger, bhindi, and gumbo are just some of the more familiar names used for this vegetable which I love very much; It is also the subject of this week's column. Okras are very important to us in the Caribbean and we use it widely in many dishes, including some national dishes.
Like bitter gourd and cilantro (and I'm sure with many other things), okra has its lovers and haters. A large part of the issue I feel is that many people do not understand how to prepare the vegetable in a way that would significantly reduce the silkiness that's too often described by that not so pleasant word - slimy :)
I hope that after reading this week's column that we can turn some haters, if not into lovers, then at least into triers (yeah, I made up the word) (LOL) Click here to go to the column.
Cut okras into rounds or lengthways as above
Place in the sun to dry
Dried okra
Fried okras also called Southern Popcorn
Here is the recipe. I adjusted the salt, using less.
Vegetable Rice-Okra
Sauteed okras with saltfish
Here is a list of my previous posts with dishes in which okras were used so that you can experiment.
Dhals
Saltfish & Okras
Mettagee
Caribbean Meal
Cou cou
Vegetable Rice
Fish Curry
Since you're fed and relaxed now, it's time for the awards ceremony. I have been honoured by a number of my fellow bloggers multiple times with various awards, which I now wear with pride and honour on my humble, little blog. I want to thank each and everyone of you for taking time out of your busy lives and hectic schedules to stop by my blog whether to comment, read or just have a look around - it is all sincerely appreciated.
I particularly want to thank my blog friends who thought me and my blog worthy of these awards. Thank you dear Pilar of La cocina de Lechuza for the Thinking Blogger Award. Thanks to Elly of Elly Says Opa! Carolyn of Mountain Meadows, and Jenn of The Left Over Queen for the Rockin Girl Blogger award. Thanks Caffeinated Cowgirl of Just This Side of Normal and Amanda of Little Foodies for the Thoughtful Blogger and Power of Scmooze award.
Just as in one of my favourite movies, Pay It Forward, I'd like to award some of my following bloggers. It is not possible for me to list all your worthy names here but I am sure that the awardees will in turn, if they choose to, award fellow bloggers. That way, the love is shared all around.
Asha, I noticed that you were already awarded but I want to say thank you for always being there...
Okay, enough talking let's get down to distributing the awards. In no particular order:
Thinking Blogger Award
Bee & Jai of Jugalbandi
Shn of Mishmash!
Carolyn of Mountain Meadows
Mathy of Virundhu
Caffienated Cowgirl of Just this side of normal
Thoughtful Blogger Award
Pelicano of Elaichi Et cetera
Anita of A Mad Tea Party
Coffee of The Spice Cafe
Nora B of Life's Smorgasbord
Melting Wok of Melting Wok
Rockin Girl Blogger Award
Sra of When my soup came alive
Manisha of Indian Food Rocks
Sunita of Sunita's World
Viji of V Cuisine
Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook
Sharmi of Neivedyam
The Power of Schmooze Award
Sia Spice Corner
Helen of Tartlette
Sig of Live to eat
Jaden of Steamy Kitchen
Pamela of Mi blog de cocina
Sylvia of La vida en Buenos Aries y afines
Don't forget that you can click here for the column.
89 comments:
cynthia, i just love the fried okras, they look so amazing to me... drying themin the sun is new to me hey...
and congratulations for all the awards, u so rightly deserve them...
Cynthia, okra okra okra! I love it... And your dishes make me hungry!
Thank you girlfriend!
You ROCK!
::schmooooozin!::
Cynthia, I am blushing!! :) Thank you my dear..... and finding my name amongst some of the pioneers means a lot to me!!
Okra's are raining in your kitchen! And I happen to be in the lovers category for this slimy little green thing. :) Loved the popcorn style!
You know, I've never tried okra. What a lot of good ideas, though!
Cynthia, I was THIS || close to picking up some okra just the other day, but they were a little bit dinged up. (I suspect it doesn't sell all that well, eh?) These photos make me even more determined to bite the bullet, so to speak.
Thanks for thinking of me for the RBC award. Yeah, I guess I do rock sometimes, but right now, I'm rolling out the door for some groceries. : )
Fried okra/southern popcorn looks good! I have not tried frying it yet.
Thank you Cynthia! I think I am running out of space for awards!:)
Enjoy girl,you rock!:))
Bhindi of course ,every Indians favorite.We mostly get frozen here,fresh ones are expensive.Southern Popcorns are yummy.We get frozen pack here.Great post.
Blushing.... :)Nice to see my name and blog title in that list..thank you :)
Well, I am an okra 'trier' I guess....i like them only when they re sauteed and fried to the extent where they turn dark brown with no nutrition at all :P
Shn
Thanks for stopping by. I love okra though not preparing it. This entry reminds me of my mom who adores okra.
I had okra a lot growing up. My favorites were fried and we always had pickled okra. Yum!
it's raining okra in the blogosphere and we don't mind at all. love your dishes. your awards are all richly deserved.
thanks for ours.
I rock? I do? Thank you, Cynthia, I'm going all warm and fuzzy! And you must feel wonderful - they're well-deserved.
On the okra - I read your column - I may be making a v general statement here, but if you saute dry (and not wet) okra first and then use them in the recipe, they shouldn't turn slimy.
Loved all your versions of okra; especially the popcorn style.
Ohhhhh Cynthia, I just love Fried okra too!!!! YUM!!! Haven't had any for years and years.
It's okra harvest time! I have 3 pods and I was wondering what to do with them! I think they will have to disappear into some sambar or just be eaten as is! Like we ate our 4 beans!
I love okra so I am going to enjoy all the variety there is! I must say that I have never had okra with fish. Can I use any other fish? Will tilapia or catfish work as well?
Thank you so much for the Rockin' Girl award! Yay! I am doing virtual cartwheels here! (um, virtual because those are the only kind I can do!) You, my dear, the one who truly rocks!
Dried Okras is something very new to me Cynthia. Will check out what you do with them.
Congrtas for all those awards, you truly deserve them
Congratulations to all the award-winners!
I've never had okra, thanks for the recipe.
Okay...you've convinced me.
There's an okra trier here. Will let you know how I go!
Stop it hun you get another BEAUT-EEEEE-FUL, i am going to have to email you for the recipe...Yummy..I am from the south and I am now craving this... Awesome lay out.
Mmhhhh, all those dishes look wonderful! I've eaten okra once (Greek dish) and I loved it. I guess I should buy some to test new recipes...
Dear Cynthia, you definitely deserving of all the awards! And thank you for passing on an award to me *blush*. It's great to have so many wonderful bloggers around, it's such a supportive community.
As for okra, I love it! Yesterday, I went to a sashimi & sushi workshop and we used raw okra, wrapped in raw cuttlefish and seaweed. I think that it is a combination that would "scare" a lot of people, but I really enjoyed it. I never had okra raw so this was a new taste experience for me. I'll write about it soon.
Have a great weekend!!!
Your okra sure looks better than any I have ever prepared! Sure looks good. Thanks! You put okra back on the map for me. :-)
Wow, Cynthia!! You are one Thinkin', Rockin', Thoughtful, Schmoozin' Blogger! I agree. You well deserve them ALL. Awesome that so many landed on your doorstep at once! You go, girl! Wow again. Thanks sooo much, Cynthia, for including me in the award list! What a surprise! Am so glad for everybody you listed here, too. You give paying it forward a whole new meaning! Big hugs. :-)
as i was scrolling down i thought "uh oh, i hope there's not a picture of breaded fried okra!" and then there is was and now i want some!!
Cynthia,wonderful looking fried okras, and other dishes are yummy and tempting!
waw!!! Am I rocking??? Thanks so much Cyn. Really nice of you. lovely fried okras. I too have some Okra recipe in my blog.
Thanks and Hugs.
Sun-dried okra, just the idea I love!
The dish with shellfish looks so pretty - those specks of chilli are delicious and enticing. A unique (from an Indian point of view) and interesting combination.
What a bevy of wonderful awards! You rock!
And thanks for sending it my way too.
Cynthia, the article about Okra and the fried ones are real feast. Congrats for the awards. You deserve it. I appreciate passing it to me. You are so thoughtful. Viji
I love okras...it doesn't matter how it's cook...they are always good. :)
I think your mission is achieved Cynthia. You just may have turned me or at least made me willing to try it again! :)
Fried okra...oh, how I adore that stuff! I'm going to have to make it...it's been ages.
And thank you so much for the award...you are too sweet! (Enjoy all of your accolades...you deserve them!)
those okra popcorns look so poppable. I found some fresh okra at a farmer's market. Oh the difference fresh makes to okra.
okra...beautiful okra... i just love it cynth and now ur recipes have given me more reason to fall in love with it again:) i am very keen to try that fried okra. will give it a try soon n let u know:)
and congrats on receiving awards. u deserve all of them and many more darling:)
I am finally back, with my own laptop. And how lovely to read about Okra here. Plus to see more okra recipes. In Brasil we do eat ocra as well, however i believe that we do not have many different dishes.i did post one in my blog some time back so I am sending you the link. http://trembomenglishversion.blogspot.com/search?q=okra
I am going to have a read at your article now.
The fried okra look awesome. Never had fried okra before, I plan to try before I am much older
I've only tried okra once and I hated it. You have now convinced me to go out and try it again. Will follow your instructions word for word though!
Thanks!
Cynthia- thank you for the award. I would also like to thank my parents and family- without them I wouldn't be here or who I am today, and I love them despite the fact that they often test my nerves. I would also like to thank my friends, well, some of them...the ones with nice hair, and a big thank you to all the little people who I've stepped upon on my way up the ladder; without them I wouldn't have the faintest notion of the concept of humility or sacrifice. [waves a hand to the crowd]
:-D I've never seen dried okra before- way cool; I've been drying stuff lately instead of freezing to lighten the carbon-emission load a bit. Hopefully I can still cook with this crunchy stuff in winter... :-) Your rice dishes look wonderful Cynthia, and congratulations on your awards!
Cynthia! I actually quite like okra, but I must admit, I have never tried preparing them for myself! All of your dishes including them sound wonderful and I love the photographs of then drying in the sun!
Congrats Cyn on all those awards... u truly deserve those... and thanks for mine too... I am all blushing here :)...
I am an okra lover, so thanks for all the okra fest... and loved the new word trier , in a perfect world there won't be any haters just lovers and triers :D
Thank you Cynthia to include me among such great bloggers! I also love the okra recipe.
Congrats for all your deserving awards :D so was there a okra celebration feast ?
I like okra so your dishes all suit me fine :)
Cynthia, thanks so much for your okra post. It's one of my favourite vegetables, although they're not widely available over here in Australia and the season always seems quite short.
Up until now I've almost exclusively used them in Indian dishes, but your Caribbean recipes look delicious.
Hi cynthia,
Thanks for visiting my blog.The display at Lalbagh Botanical gardens is stunning and I wanted everyine ariund to get a glimpse, Though they may not be able to visit personally.
I am doing a write up on the show today.
I am visiting your blog first time. Liked the way you have displayed the cut okra.
I'll definitely have you on my blogrill.
bye for now.
latha.
Hi cynthia,
Thanks for visiting my blog.The display at Lalbagh Botanical gardens is stunning and I wanted everyine ariund to get a glimpse, Though they may not be able to visit personally.
I am doing a write up on the show today.
I am visiting your blog first time. Liked the way you have displayed the cut okra.
I'll definitely have you on my blogrill.
bye for now.
latha.
wow..that fried okra rocks...looks very tempting...
and congrats on the awards...very deserving ones...
Srivalli
www.cooking4allseasons.blogspot.com
Thanks for suggesting these various ways of cooking Okra CYnthia. I once got fed up with eating it because I didn't think about other ways. I should try drying them up in the sun;)
wow fried okras are looking great! you truly deserve those awards too ! congrats!!.....
Give me okra anytime...I love it...
...congrats on your awards and thanks for considering me 'rockworthy':D
congratulations on the awards!
that popcorn okra looks so good, i am so making it sooooon :)
Congratulations Cynthia! Love the southern popcorn!
Hi Cynthia - I recently found your blog and really enjoy it! I especially appreciate that you give us the details, everything you wanted to know about okra...
I made gumbo a few months ago, but had to use frozen okra. After reading your blog, I think I will wait until fresh okra is available to make it again.
My dad loves okras, Cynthia (I don't like them, though...)
Congratulations on the awards!
hello..thats very interesting.we use this vegetable in our dishes but never like this..we cut the top of it and cook with meat and tomatoe..because we believe if we cut other part of okra it could be very bad cause of its water..excuse me i couldnt decide how can i write ..because in turkish we say if you cut okra you cant eat it cause of its salivas..
bye..
I come to congratulate you with your work, very good, and to desire good vacations to you
I have never had Okra before. I am going to have to try it soon.
hi cynthia,
A big congrats for all those awards.
all ur okra dishes looks nice and i liked fried okra/southern popcorn the most.
I have never had okra (or lady finger). Looks like a funny and decorative vegetable. I recently saw a Swedish okra recipe... fried okra served with garlic, lemon juice, diced tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese and some light soy sauce. I could try to grow okra myself next spring, but I suppose I´d then have to get a green house.
That is a lot of okra...and each dish looks totally delicious!
First time to your blog. Speaking of okras, it reminds me my childhood days. The first recipe that I learned from my mom was Okra fry and that is my favorite curry. Thanks for reminding me those days. Good list of awards for the deserving bloggers.
cynthia so many amazing okra recipes. I have to try the one with fish.. that is new to me and looks so delicious :)
Some delightful recipes there. I am a lover of okra, but I have never been so adventurous! Thanks, and I looking forward to reading more.
Sam
Congrats Cynthia for all those awards . You deserve all of them. Fried okra is so new to me Cynthia and I am sure it will taste awesome. Will try it sometime. Congrats again buddy.
dear cynthia thank you for visiting my blog..i decided to make an enlish blog about cooking.here is my first recipe..if you write me your opinion i'll be very happy..
bye..
http://dialoguemeals.blogspot.com/
Rachna - thanks dearest. The firewall problem has been resolved then? Glad to see you posting and commenting again.
Anh, Jaden, coffee, Asha, Bee, The Cooker, Pat, Sandeepa, Kelly, Candy, Cinnamon, Sharmi, Anita, Viji, Rasa Malaysia, Caff. Cowgirl, Indo, Saju, Jenn, Sig, Helen, Tigerfish, Srivalli, Roopa, Richa, Amanda, Patricia, Prajusha, Nupur, Mandira, Seema & Sam - my sincere thanks to all of you.
Janet - well here's your chance to get adventurous and try some :)
Susan - you always bring a smile to my face. Thank you :)
TBC - please do
Shn - they're good that way too! You are welcome hon.
Nirmala - I know what you mean. I usually make the same comment you did when I see people posting about eggplants :)
Deborah - I've never had them pickled and can't wait to try them that way.
Sra - When you say saute dry, do you mean without any oil in the karahi? And are you referring to a particular recipe or in general? I like the idea of the dry saute.
Manisha - yes, any fish will work hon. Just cook which ever ingredient (fish or okra) you think will take the longest to cook first and then finish it off by adding the other.
I can only do virtual ones too! :)
Lucy - can't wait for your report
Adama - please do and thank you!
Rosa - what was the Greek dish?
Nora - Can't wait to read your write up. I've never had okras raw before
Carolyn - thanks hon, it is always a pleasure hearing from you.
Truffle - good! :)
Valentina - you were dearly missed and it's so good to have you back. I'm going to check out the link shortly.
Wendy - :) okay. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Pel - such an eloquent acceptance speech! thank you hon.
Drying is a great idea.
Kathryn - it is a pleasure always to have your inpit. I hope you will try it in some of the Caribbean dishes whenever you can get some.
Latha - thanks for your generosity in sharing the beautiful pics with us. Will check out your write up.
ValentinaA - you should :)
Lori Lynn - thank you and a very warm welcome. I hope that you come back and visit when you have some time.
Suheyla - It is so nice to meet you! I am excited to be able to learn more about your cuisine. Sometimes we cook the okras with meat or chicken too :)
I checked out the site and I think that you are off to a very good start. Can't wait to see what other yummy things you share with us.
David - Thanks for stopping by and a big Caribbean welcome to you. Hope to see you around again.
Kevin - please let me know if you have any questions
Karin - that Swedish okra dish sounds great!
Hima - thank you welcome to my little space here in cyberworld :) What a fantastic memory that the first dish your mom taught you to make was okra fry :)
Hi Cynthia,
Great okra post and article! That fried okra looks sooooo good!
I made a dish with fried okras too... but seeing your pictures, I got a brilliant idea... I could bake them crisp instead of deep frying... I should try that. Thanks Cynthia :-)
And congratulations on those well deserved awards :-)
the only kind of okra that I would eat(called "ram toriya" in Nepali and known also as lady's finger) were the fried kinds. Any other kind I thought slowy scratched down your throat. I will have to try the pop corn type. You can't find them at regular grocery stores here in the US I think(or atleast here in the North Eastern Shore,I could be wrong though). But I have seen them once or twice at the vegetable vendors.
I really enjoy okra, especially spicy, curried okra and onions.
Will have to try some of your ideas!
Cynthia...Its a nice space u have here....The pics are awesome dear :-)
And Congratulations for all the awards :-)
hi Cynthia,
i love okra, and you are here with plenty of varieties for it.
i never try drying them , sounds intresting . i guess it may make it less sticky while cooking, am i right?
also i never tried it with rice. seeing picture here, i am so excited to try it with rice, and i am gonna try it the next time i get okra at home.... :)
thanks for sharing
-Poojs
Hi Cynthia, That amazing! the fried okras look so different from the dried ones..you can't guess the vegetable in it!
Cynthia:
We adored okras especially in the south east asia. Why do you sundried the okra which we don't practice here?
www.bigboysoven.blogspot.com
www.bigboyskitchen.blogspot.com
Cynthia - It was your tip of laying it in the sun that worked for us. Okra we are learning to love.
Are you telling me bitter gourd can be made to be edible?
I dont believe it!!
sun dried okra is new to me too!
thanks for sharing !
congrats for bein g honoured by so many awards!
Okra Feast is looking amazing.....Love all those recipes...congratulations......
Hi
Just letting you know about our "share your Caribbean experience" competition. You can win six VIP tickets to the St Lucia Food and Rum Festival, as well as MACO magazine subscriptions. Tell your friends about it.
Click this link for more info: http://www.macocaribbean.com/2007/08/win-tickets-to-st-lucia-food-and-rum.html
Nicole & Poonam - thank you!
Raaga - you are welcome :)
Little Mainyacha - please try the popcorn, you'll like it
Shilo Autum - thank you and a very warm welcome. You and your fellow writers have a very useful site there at Daily Kitchen.
Please come back and visit when you can.
Sirisha - thank you for stopping by and a warm welcome. Come back and visit when you can.
Pooja - it is a pleasure to have you drop by.
Yes, by putting the okras in the sun, the heat absorbs some of the moisture making the okras a lot less silky/slimy
Big Boys Oven - a very warm Caribbean welcome to you! Love your work and hope you have the time to come back and visit again.
Charlotte - I'm glad the tip worked. I'm going to email you about the bitter gourd :)
Macomag - thanks for the reminder!
Cintya, excuse, but now I come always to appreciate your good ones cooked, Until always
Congratulations on the awards Cytnhia. Very well deserved!! The fried okra popcorn looks like a perfect movie treat :D
Oh! Perfectly golden fried okra! What I wouldn't do for a nice plate full of those perfect little tidbits, right this very minute. :-)
Thank you cynthia for your detailed explaination on okra, we definitely will try out the style of cooking that you had clearly explained to us. We will defintely keep you well inform of out findings. Once again many thanks.
Congrats for all those awards!
Cynthiya I have announced as event in my blog. Please make a mention of it in your blog so that many will come to know about it.Hope you too will participate.It has nothing to do with religion.Thanks.
cynthia - YES its solved...happy days are here again... blogging, hopping cooking and eating :))
Cynthia, I meant saute in oil okra which is dry, even a drop of water on the vegetable can turn it into slime.
Hi Cynthia, I loved the fried okras recipe and the methods described, few are new to me...like southern popcorns.. congratulation's on so many deserving awards..
David, Dhana & Padma - thank you!
Belinda - thanks for stopping by and an very warm welcome. I wish I could send you some of the popcorn.
Please come back and visit when you can.
Big Boys Oven - you are very welcome.
Latha - thank you. Will do.
Rachna - I know you're in blog heaven :)
Sra - okay. Got yah.
Fried okra is always a great combination with any vegg....Thanks for sharing with rice my dear. I never try okra with rice.
Congratulations for all the awards!!!!
You Deserve it.:))
Hi Cynthia, I have tagged you for the Fantastic four Meme over on my blog.
hi cynthia, you are wonerful dish maker...i con't belive this little finger become such a tastey food....nice
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